Uni buildings’ history marked by fact panels

INFORMATION panels celebrating the history of the University of Otago buildings will, it is hoped, become part of a trail — and eventually could appear on an app guiding visitors around historic sites.

The first two in a planned $21,000 series of 15 panels were unveiled outside the university’s professorial houses buildings yesterday, one outside Scott Shand House and the other outside Black Sale House, near the registry clocktower.

The panels used photographs from the Hocken Collections and show the history of the two buildings. They include early photographs from just after they were built in 1878.

Also in the series will be the clock tower building, the medical school, the staff club, and Marama Hall.

Deputy vicechancellor for external engagement Prof Helen Nicholson said she hoped all the panels would be up by mid2019, the year of the university’s 150th anniversary celebrations.

‘‘We are thinking of developing a little trail,’’ she said.

She thought there was potential for an app to be created for visitors to the campus.

The panels and the fences put up to support them were created by design and brand manager Luke Calder.

Southern Heritage Trust trustee Ann Barsby, who attended the unveiling of the signs yesterday morning, said it was an ‘‘auspicious occasion’’.

‘‘I think it’s perfect.

‘‘‘[The university] has got a big chunk of important history.’’

The university was founded in 1869, but did not open until 1871.

The two, semidetached houses were the residences of university professors John Halliday Scott and George Sale, and John Shand and James Gow Black and their families.

Prof Sale taught classics and English language and literature from 1871, and Prof Shand and Prof Black took up their positions as professor of mathematics and natural philosophy and professor of natural science respectively the same year.

Prof Scott arrived at the university several years later, in 1877, and taught anatomy and physiology.

In 1891, he was appointed the first dean of the Otago Medical School.

PHOTO: LINDA ROBERTSON Unveiling signs . . . Hocken Collections photograph curator Anna Petersen (left) and deputy vicechancellor for external engagement Helen Nicholson stand next to an information panel outside Scott Shand House.